Ashton Kutcher’s ‘Jobs’ Release Date Pushed Back

More than a few people were surprised to hear that Ashton Kutcher had been cast in the leading role in Jobs (formerly stylized as jOBS). After all, Kutcher is far more noted for his comedy work, and tackling a biopic – especially featuring as prominent a figure as the late Steve Jobs – seemed like a bit outside his skill set.

That hesitation cooled a bit once the first image of Kutcher in character arrived. After all, then-comedic actor Jamie Foxx earned an Academy Award for his pitch-perfect portrayal of music legend Ray Charles. Why couldn’t the man who rose to stardom on That 70s Show achieve a similarly strong performance? Now it seems those moviegoers eager to see Kutcher take on the role of the iconic Apple co-founder will have to wait a bit longer.

Open Road Films – the studio behind Jobs – has pushed the film back from its anticipated April 19 release to an as-yet-unspecified date. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the delay is intended to allow for more time for the film’s marketing campaign. That original April release was also set to coincide with the 37th anniversary of the creation of the Apple Computer.

There’s no indication when Open Road will send Jobs out to theaters, but this move could be the studio’s way to position it as an awards contender. Traditionally, films released early in the year rarely score accolades during awards season (where biopics are one of the most celebrated subgenres; see Lincoln).

An April release would make any awards bids a much tougher sell, but if Jobs is released in late summer – perhaps as counter-programming to a more effects-heavy release – buzz is far more likely to carry into the fall, when most studios unleash their Oscar hopefuls.

Director Joshua Michael Stern is at this point best known for the 2008 Kevin Costner dramedy Swing Vote, but given the right marketing push, there’s a chance Jobs could gain the director more notoriety and earn Kutcher some serious dramatic credibility. Of course, this is all depending on whether or not the film can actually deliver the compelling story we’re all hoping it does.

Are you disappointed that the film has been pushed back? Let us know in the comments section below.

Stay tuned to Screen Rant for further updates on Jobs as this story develops.